Protecting your purity in dating

Please check out,  23 Guidelines to Protect Your Purity in Dating, Eternal Perspective Ministries, by Randy Alcorn:

"First of all, remember that if you plant purity today, you will reap a rich harvest, free from shame and guilt. And, by the grace of God, you’ll look back on your life not with regret, but with joyful gratitude. Sexual purity is ALWAYS in your best interest. Be smart, not stupid, and you’ll enjoy the best God has for you!"

He then has 23 guidelines with explanations and scriptures to help you think and discern, for example:

2. If you’re a Christian, only date Christians.

You won’t marry every person you date. But the person you marry will be someone you dated. God says, “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers . . . what fellowship can light have with darkness?”

4. Choose dates by character, not just appearance.

When we judge people by their appearances, often we turn out to be dead wrong—and meanwhile we may have made foolish choices.

7. Realize your date is your brother or sister in Christ—not your “lover.”

...A rule of thumb is, don’t do anything physically you wouldn’t do with your brother or sister...

ending with number 23:


23. Count the cost of impurity.

and then:

"Rehearse in advance the devastating consequences of sexual sin and you’ll be less likely to commit it. Even a forgiven person must deal with many consequences to his sin. God removes guilt, but He doesn’t always remove consequences.


God forgives when we sincerely repent, but if we sincerely repent we will show it by taking necessary steps to avoid temptation."